The invention relates to a massaging apparatus for massaging body areas of a person, which apparatus comprises a housing having an upper wall and side walls and a bottom wall, and which comprises massaging means in the area of the bottom wall, which massaging means can be placed onto the skin of a body area during a massaging session and are preferably movable over a body area in a given operating direction, and which comprises handling means which are adapted to cooperate with a hand and by means of which the massaging apparatus and, as a consequence, the massaging means can be moved over a body area and which comprise at least a part of the upper wall of the housing and, in addition, at least one strip-like handle member which covers a part of the upper wall of the housing and which extends substantially transversely to the operating direction and which together with a part of the upper wall forms a passage into which a hand can be inserted at least partly, and which is constructed so as to be elastic and to be extensible in its longitudinal direction.
Such a massaging apparatus of the type defined in the opening paragraph is commercially available and is consequently known. Said known massaging apparatus comprises two handle members. Each of the two handle members is formed by a link band consisting of a plurality of articulated metal links. Such link bands are commonly known in particular in combination with watches. Owing to their metal structure such link bands are hard, which gives rise to problems when they form parts of handling means of a massaging apparatus because during use of a massaging apparatus comparatively large forces occur and, consequently, unpleasant pressure spots occur in the area of the back of the hand in the case of a longer time of use. Moreover, such link bands are comparatively unstable from a mechanical point of view, for which reason it is not surprising that the known massaging apparatus uses two such link bands. Furthermore, such link bands are comparatively expensive, which is unfavorable in view of a massaging apparatus which is as cheap as possible. In addition, cleaning such link bands is comparatively inconvenient.
It is an object of the invention to preclude the above-mentioned problems and to provide an improved massaging apparatus of the type defined in the opening paragraph, in which the afore-mentioned problems are solved by simple means. To achieve this object, according to the invention, a massaging apparatus of the type defined in the opening paragraph is characterized in that the handle member consists of a core of a soft material and of a sleeve of a material which is mild to the skin and which surrounds the core.
By taking the measures in accordance with the invention it is achieved in a simple manner and by simple and low-cost means that the massaging apparatus can be moved over a body area to be massaged by means of only one handle member and in a manner which is advantageous for a trouble-free massaging process. By taking the measures in accordance with the invention it is further achieved that an ergonomically very favorable construction for the handling means is obtained, which is advantageous for a particularly non-tiring use of the massaging apparatus. The non-tiring use of the massaging apparatus is enhanced by the soft material of the handle member. Such a soft handle member further has the advantage that a comfortable cooperation with the back of a hand is guaranteed and that even in the case of longer use no pressure spots occur at the back of the hand.
In a massaging apparatus in accordance with the invention the core of the handle member can, for example, consists of rubber. However, it has proved to be very advantageous if the core consists of a permanently elastic cellular material. In this respect, it has further proved to be advantageous if such core of a permanently elastic cellular material is surrounded with a sleeve of an elastic textile material. Practical tests have revealed that a cellular material which is commercially available as xe2x80x9cneoprenexe2x80x9d is advantageous as cellular material and a textile material which is commercially available as xe2x80x9clycraxe2x80x9d is advantageous as textile material. Both materials are readily washable.
In a massaging apparatus in accordance with the invention it has proved to be particularly advantageous if the handle member is connected to a mounting element in the area of each of its end portions, which mounting element is detachably connected to the housing and then has a shape adapted to the housing shape in such a manner that the housing exterior does not exhibit any undesirable irregularities, which also might give rise to injuries. As a result of the provision of two mounting elements the handle member can simply be removed form the massaging apparatus in accordance with the invention, for example for cleaning purposes, after which the handle member may be cleaned, for example in a washing machine.
The afore-mentioned as well as further aspects of the invention will be apparent from the embodiment described hereinafter by way of example and will be elucidated with reference to this example.